Reading: Judges 16
Upon reading Judges 16:6-17, we’re tempted to conclude that Samson is an idiot. How many times does Delilah betray him, and yet he still reveals his secrets to her? The problem with this interpretation, is that it doesn’t jibe with with the last two chapters. Remember the plan he concocted to seek occasion with the Philistines? The lion, the secrets, the riddle, and how he cleverly avoided humiliation when he was cheated? Or what about the fox-trick? These are not the actions and plans of a fool; Samson is not dumb. But we’re still left explaining how he could be so dumb in chapter 16. One word: sin.
Samson’s demise isn’t another piece of profane literature. His demise is a cautionary tale of how sin enslaves the mightiest of men. Much like Israel in the last 15 chapters playing the harlot with foreign gods, Samson quite literally played with a Philistine harlot (Judg 16:1). Then he falls in love with another Philistine woman, Delilah. Even after she betrays him three times—which he is clearly aware of—he still loves her. “And when she pressed pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death” (Judg 16:16). A long-term alcoholic can literally die if he quits cold-turkey; he can’t help but live by the bottle. That’s what sin does to us, and that’s what it’s doing to Samson. He doesn’t want to betray himself, but does it anyway.
When we choose folly over wisdom we’re left spiritually blind. Samson’s eyes are gouged out. He is left fettered in a prison, groveling and grinding grains between stones (Judg 16:21). Its laborious and degrading work suitable only for the lowliest of men. The Enemy loves to see us suffer, and he must’ve been grinning mightily as Samson was forced to play the fool at a drunken pagan orgy (Judg 16:25).
Let us be clear. Samson’s strength did not come from his hair. His strength came from God, and when Samson turned away from God, the Lord left him (Judg 16:20). “But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved” (Judg 16:22). We don’t need a book of ancient wisdom to restate obvious banalities of life, such as “hair grows.” Again, this message is not about hair. Through his suffering, Samson is repenting and becoming purified.
In the end, Samson repents and calls upon the Lord (Judg 16:28), and God is merciful. Just as Samson is about to be sacrificed to Dagon, a false god/demon worshiped by the Philistines, the Lord gives Samson his strength back, allowing Samson to to slay more Philistines in his final moments than he did during his entire life (Judg 16:31). Presumably, God saved Samson’s soul. The same can’t be said for Dagon, who couldn’t care less about the lives of his worshipers. It seems that he still got his sacrifice, and more.
Samson’s downfall and redemption mirror Israel’s sin-servitude cycle. And if we’re honest with ourselves, then we have to recognize that we’re more like Samson than we care to admit. Sin makes us slaves, and only by submitting to the Lord will our chains be broken.